Arizona State five-run eighth inning dooms Oregon

Friday, March 16

Phoenix, Ariz.

6:30 PM

University of Oregon

12-5, 0

Arizona State

9-9, 0

Oregon

Arizona State

03/16/18 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score: Arizona State 7, Oregon 4

PHOENIX – Arizona State scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally for a 7-4 win at Phoenix Municipal Stadium in the Pac-12 Conference opener for both teams on Friday night.

How it Happened: Oregon (12-5, 0-1 Pac-12) took a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth inning with Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week Parker Kelly on the mound. The Ducks' right-hander, who pitched a scoreless seventh inning with two strikeouts, fanned the first batter he faced before hitting Gage Workman. Hunter Jump singled to center field and moved to second on Jonny DeLuca's throw to third, putting runners at second and third with one out.

Kelly fanned pinch hitter Taylor Lane for the second out of the inning before the Ducks went to the bullpen and brought in All-American closer Kenyon Yovan. The Ducks' stopper walked the first two batters he faced, allowing Arizona State (9-9, 1-0 Pac-12) to cut the lead to one, before Gage Canning tripled to score three and Lyle Lin added a RBI single.

ASU jumped out to an early lead in the game scoring a pair of runs off Oregon starter Matt Mercer in the first. Canning walked to lead off the inning and scored on a Spencer Torkelson RBI double. Carter Aldrete made it 2-0 with a RBI single scoring Torkelson.

The Ducks rallied to take the lead with three runs in the third and added another run in the fourth inning. With two outs, Kyle Kasser started the third inning rally with a single. He moved to third on a DeLuca single and scored on a Spencer Steer base hit. Gabe Matthews put the Ducks in front with a two-run double that scored both DeLuca and Steer.

Daniel Patzlaff gave Oregon a 4-2 lead in the fourth. He reached second on a throwing error by Workman, moved to third on a Ryne Nelson ground out and scored on an Evan Williams sacrifice fly.

Notable: After struggling in the first three innings, Mercer settled down and retired 12 straight before being taken out following the sixth inning … He finished with eight strikeouts, one shy of his career best set last Friday … Kasser had his 41st career multi-hit game tying Aaron Payne (2011-14) for seventh all-time at Oregon … Canning's triple was his seventh of the season … The Ducks are now 2-8 in Pac-12 openers … UO opened Pac-12 play on the road for the seventh time in the 10 years since baseball resumed in 2009.

On Deck: Oregon and Arizona State play game two of their three-game series Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at Phoenix Memorial Stadium. James Acuna (2-0, 2.29) will pitch for the Ducks, while Eli Lingos (2-1, 3.70) will take the mound for the Sun Devils.